Red
by AngelSoft
Summary: The end is near... Sora and Riku are still alive... Mercedes is insane... Death is stalking Riku... Flames... So what does black flames, a church, Sora's parents, and Riku have to do with the ending?
1. Entry I: Red

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**Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:**            Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers:            I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n:      **This is my first KH Fanfiction. I hope it's good and thanks to Third Rabbit for giving me the idea. ^__^… Anyways, on with the fic…!

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"Admit it, Sora! You've got yourself a hot chick!"

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do! And just wait-I'm going to tell Riku!"

"You'd better not!"

"Big baby…"

            Creamy white skies framed the Eden paradise of Destiny Islands as the smell of sweet ocean water brushed everywhere. It was warm outside and the laughter of the residents' children could be heard echoing in the air.

            Letting the wind brush his light brown bangs, two sapphire jewels stared at the small and sweet fragrance smelling letter, noting the dotted hearts, the use of pink and red shades, and the X's and O's. A small tint of cherry appeared on his cheeks as he folded the paper up and stuck the note in to his pocket. A young girl stood infront of him, her hands on her hips.

"Why'd you do that!? Sora, are you crazy?"

Sora looked at her with exasperation.

"Lay off, Mercedes."

            Mercedes frowned and crossed her arms. She was a honey colored girl with long, very dark hair with streaks of gold running in a pattern. She wore her normal attire; a black tank top and short shorts. She and many others had moved on the islands only a few months ago.

Mercedes placed her arms behind her back and rocked.

"Well…aren't we chicken?"

Sora twitched.

"What was that?"

"Aren't you the little chickadee?" Mercedes mocked. "The coward. The chicken. The yellow bellied one."

"I don't care what you say," Sora stood up, dusting himself off. "I'm not going to show anyone the letter."

Mercedes frowned at him, obviously losing her patience.

"Then, I'm going to tell Riku."

Sora rolled his eyes.

"Tell Riku." He sniffed. "I still won't…"

"Tell me what?"

            The two quickly glanced around to see a fifteen-year-old platinum haired boy, sitting on the limp of a coconut tree, staring at them with his pretty turquoise eyes. Riku jumped from the limb and walked over to them. Sora gulped.

"Riku, how long have you've been there?"

"Not long enough," Riku inquired and glanced at Mercedes. "What's going on? What's Sora hiding from me?"

Sora frowned as a twinkle was sparked in Mercedes' big eyes.

Mercedes clung to Riku's left arm and grinned.

"Oh, Riku! It's the cutest thing! Sora's got a-"

"Shut up, Mercedes!" Sora tried to hush the sugar high girl only to see her ignore him.

"As I was saying, Sora's got himself a girlfriend."

Riku immediately stared at Sora. A look of laughter was on his tan face.

"You have a girlfriend?" Riku questioned with almost goofiness in his eyes. "Well?"

"N-no way!" Sora insisted in a hiss. "Some girl wrote me a creepy letter."

"Let me see it."

            Sora hesitated as Riku showed impatience. If he didn't give it to him, Riku would simply wrestle him down and take the note from him, making it even more embarrassing. Sora slowly gave his best friend the letter and blushed. Riku unfolded it and began to read slowly, Mercedes looking over his shoulder.

_Dear Sora,_

_            Year after year, I've watched you. From when you first started talking to other people to even when you were fighting the heartless, I fell in love with you. It was like … destiny! Where ever you step, I take the sand, land, or ground and place it in a special section in my room. I've got old jackets and silver necklaces you used to wear when you were a toddler. OH, were those the good old days… You, Sora, enchant me. Did you know you blink almost 1,589 times a day, even in Math class? Well, you do. I count them, observing your sapphire eyes, your beautiful eyelashes, and your handsome face. When you bleed, I take that blood and cut myself just so I can share the same pain as you do. Won't you fall in love with me or can you even find out who I am? I'll be waiting for you…_

_Yours forever,_

_Anonymous_

            Riku looked up at Sora, who shrugged with innocents. Glancing at Mercedes, he frowned and folded up the letter.

"Talk about obsession," he murmured. "This girl has problems."

Mercedes nodded in agreement.

"This stuff is creepy with a capital C. I wonder who it is. How do we even know it's a girl?"

"Don't get me started," Riku frowned at her.

"What should I do?" Sora placed his arms behind his head. "Should I respond?"

Mercedes frowned at him.

"Are you insane?" She snapped at him. "If you do that, this chic or whoever wrote this stuff's gonna be after your butt like those heartless things you used to fight."

Riku shook his head.

"For once," he began, "Mercedes is right. If you answer to this person,  you'll probably be in for a big surprise."

"I see," Sora grasped the letter in his hand. "Think I should show it to Kairi?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"You moron. If you show that to Kairi, you can kiss that date you have with her in three days goodbye."

Sora goofily nodded. "Oops! I almost forgot about that."

"Let's get going," Riku inquired. "All this talk about secret admirers and stuff is starting to scare me."

            As the three began to walk toward the Seaside Shack, a figure appeared from out of nowhere. Dressed in shadowy clothing, the figure glanced at Sora from head to toe, took out a notebook and pen from the coat, and began to write in it.

_Time of the day: Noon_

_Objects collected: Sand that was stood on_

_Comments:            Got the letter, but friends are intimidating him. Must find a way to get passed them._

_New:     Sora blushed when they discussed about me! I'm finally getting to him._


	2. Entry II: Red

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**Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:**            Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers:            I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n:      **Thanks for the reviews. Third Rabbit told me this was a cool site. (Grins) OH, and if you thought the letter was creepy, then strap yourself in for a ride cause when this fic's over with, you'll be wondering who's who on the island. Anyway, here's chapter two.

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"You're joking, ya?"

"Yeah, that's can't be true. Our Sora has a lovebird? Hahahah!!"

"It's not funny, guys!"

            A cherry red Sora began to growl furiously as his classmates and fellow islander friends, Wakka and Tidus laid on the white sand, rolling in laughter. In Tidus' left hand was the note and on Sora's face was a look of annoyance. Mercedes rolled her eyes as she walked up to Tidus and kicked him in his crotch, instantly silencing him and quieting Wakka. She stuck her pointer at Wakka's nose.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourselves," she snapped. "The both of you."

Tidus' face surge with pain as he tried to stand.

"Man, Merce," Wakka complained, "We were just kiddin' with him."

"Well, maybe next time you won't open that big mouth, ya?" She mocked him, and then glanced at Tidus.

"Get up," Mercedes placed her hands on her hips. "Stop being weak. If you couldn't take that, then I pity you when you go against Riku."

"Anyway," Riku interrupted them, "do you guys know anyone who stares at Sora a lot?"

"Umm, everybody."

Riku rolled his eyes.

"Be serious."

Wakka scratched his head and nodded with a genuine look of wonder.

"Well," he leaned against the Seaside Shack, "I do know a one girl who have a crush on Sora."

"That's good," Sora sighed. "It's a girl."

"Who do you know?"

"Well, there's that girl named Jenna." Wakka said as Sora's eyes lit up.

"That new girl with the glossy hair has a crush on me?" Sora looked bewildered. "I thought she thought I was a freak."

"Get back on track, dummy."

Riku glanced at Tidus.

"Do you know someone?"

Tidus, finally out of his state, nodded.

"Yeah, I know two girls who have a crush on him. There's that girl who looks like a stick. You know, Micah. And then there's that crazy girl."

Mercedes shrieked in disgust, causing the boys to look at her confused.

"You're not talking about Emi, are you?"

"Yeah, that's the girl."

Sora shrugged. "What's so bad about her?"

Mercedes stuck her lips out.

"What's not bad about her? You want to know how she looks? She makes wet dirt look pretty!"

"Mercedes!"

"Well, it's true!" Mercedes gave a frown. "Sora, to be descriptive about her, I'll explain how she looks. You might remember her, Riku? Remember that girl who rolled down the hallway after she accidentally tripped over Selphie's books?"

Riku stayed silent for a moment, then looked disgusted too.

"Eww, I know who you're talking about now," Riku frowned. "That really nasty, freaky looking girl."

Sora looked from Riku to Mercedes.

"Who're you two talking about?"

Riku glanced at Sora.

"Sora, remember when we were talking in the hallway? It happened a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh, yeah. I remember."

"Remember that girl that ran passed us after those new kids picked on her? The girl with the hair?"

There was a slight emphasize on Riku's last word.

Sora stood still for a moment, then his eyes widen with complete humiliation and disgust.

"Oh my god!" Sora looked worried. "That fat girl? The girl with the cotton ball hair?"

"That's her!" Mercedes jumped with excitement. "That's the girl I was talking about."

"Eww, she has a crush on me…?" Sora frowned. "What not Riku?"

"Just your luck."

Riku waved his hands, and instantly hushed them.

"Okay, we've got three girls who has a crush on Sora. But, who's the one that wrote the note."

"Whoever it is," Mercedes looked at the sheet of paper, "must have connections with a writer. I hate this note."

            The group continued for hours until twilight slowly began to approach the paradise and it was time to go home. Tidus and Wakka hurried to join Selphie at the docks while Sora, Riku, and Mercedes went a slower pace. Sora suddenly stopped and turned back toward the Seaside Shack.

"Where are you going?"

Sora waved to his two friends.

"I got to get something from the Seaside Shack. Tell Kairi that I'll see her tomorrow, Mercedes."

Mercedes nodded with worry.

"You be careful out here, Sora." She frowned. "It's really creepy at night."

"Yeah," Sora goofily smirked. "I will."

_~*~_

            _The sky was dark and shadowy as Sora stepped out the Seaside Shack. He looked down at the white paper with a frown. He almost forgot it and it was the only clue he had of his admirer. Walking towards the dock, he smiled noticing the stars in the sky and hopped in to his boat. A loud, shrill scream caused him to tilt over and fall in to the oceanic water. Looking up and around, Sora's teeth chattered at the feeling of the cold water and glanced forward, seeing a figure lying on the sandy beach floor._

_"Who's that?" He blinked once and then again._

_            Something told him not to go, but he couldn't resist seeing whom or rather what it was. It stuck out like a thumb and the redness was strikingly seeable. As his yellow shoes squeaked and push aside the loads of sand before him, he paused at what was leading him to it. Blood. A seeping trail of blood was before him. Sora paled and gulped at the same time, then hurried up to the figure._

_"It's a girl," he mumbled._

_            The girl looked disgusting. She was big with rolls of fat hidden underneath a white t-shirt, soaked in crimson and black. Her chubby face appeared to be peeling off while her skin looked melted and wan. Huge arms reached towards Sora as he fell backwards and stared in shock at the girl as she rose up. She looked as though she was crying blood as she reached out for Sora._

_Dear Sora,_

_            I need you. I've been in the shadows since I was young. Nobody understood me and they liked her better. They liked my sister way better than me and it wasn't fair. I tried cutting the pain away, cutting my arms, cutting my hair, and even cutting my face to shape it to perfection. But nobody cared. They all wanted me to drift in to an everlasting oblivion._

_            I long for you. I need you, Sora. Your heart, your love, and even your feelings are what I need. But they don't understand that, Sora. They don't. Your friends are pushing you and shaping you in to what they want you to be. Leave them, my love, and come with me. Then, we will be in the true paradise…_

_Angelic waves to you,_

_Anonymous_

_~*~_

Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead as Sora looked around. No longer was he on the beach, but rather, he was home. His window, blowing the gentle wind of the night, was open and the moon could be clearly seen. Sighing, he fell back on to the pillow with questioning eyes, not seeing the set of two notes he held in his hands.

"How'd I get here?"

            Standing outside, looking in to his window was that same figure in the same shadowy clothing. The clothing began to sway with the wind as the figure revealed half of its face and smirked, cherry lips curling.

_Strands of crimson seeps within_

_For all of we will pay for our sins_

_As long as you share pain with me_

_We will no longer need happiness, friends, nor the oceanic sea_


	3. Entry III: Red

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**Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:**            Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers:            I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n:      **Great! I got a lot of reviews. Thanks for the comments and I hope you like this next chapter. Oh and I hope you don't get angry: death chapter up ahead. ^_~!

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            The rays of the morning light went through the crystal windows of Paradise High and speckled small glimmers of orange and light yellow on to a young boy with light brown hair. He laid his head against his desk sideways and gripped the front tightly with both hands.

_"Where ever you step, I take the sand, land, or ground and place it in a special section in my room."_

It had been a long night for Sora. He'd miss four hours of sleep mainly for the fears of waking up to meet that horrible face of ugliness and fear. Who on earth was that girl always popped in his mind and it made his head hurt badly. He hadn't seen Riku, Wakka, Tidus, Kairi, or Mercedes in the morning and the thought of being alone in school made him uncomfortable.

_" I've watched you…"_

_"I need you…"_

_"Sora…"_

            Sora cringed at the soft, eerie voice echoing in his ears and he shivered, feeling immediately scared and worried. Something soft tapped on his shoulder and he jumped, losing himself for a moment. Glancing up, he met big, wide and ocean blue eyes reflecting the worries of the person. Sora blushed. It was Kairi.

"Hey Sora!" She greeted cheerfully. "What are you doing? I was watching you…"

Kairi's last sentence became eerie as Sora's widen at the mixture of hers and his secret admirer's voice.

"Sora?"

Sora glanced at his friend with petrified eyes, his face pastel and sweaty. He looked sick.

"Sorry, Kairi." His voice was spectral and raucous.

"Sora, you don't look so good." Kairi placed her hands behind her back. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so," Sora stated and frowned. "I-I guess I'm tired. I didn't get that much sleep last night."

"Ah, poor Sora." Kairi joked with a babyish tone.

"Kairi!"

A flush of humiliation appeared on his face.

Kairi grinned.

"You goof! I was just kidding with you."

She quickly pecked him on his cheek, causing him to give her an awkward reaction.

"What you do that for!?"

Sora sounded outrageous, scared, and angry at the same time.

"Relax, dummy." Kairi waved as she went back to her desk. "It's not like I got rabies or something."

Sora sighed and leaned back in his chair. Turning around, his eyes grew larger at the sight of Jenna.

            The young girl, as gorgeous as the next girl, was frowning with jealous in her ebony eyes. Her apple butter hair was loose and was combed to her left and left to cascade down to her chest. She wore the same thing that Kairi and any other girl in school wore: a black and white catholic looking school uniform. She crossed her arms and glared at Kairi. Sora turned back to the front and grimaced.

_Could she be the girl…? If so, then who's the girl from my dream or atleast I think it's a dream._

"Alright, class." The teacher, Miss Io, came in with a happy smile on her face.

"Today, we're blessed with some great news. You kids get out of school early for the next three days. It would seem that the Principal had a little accident with his temper and now, must of your teachers are on strike."

The classroom was filled with cheers.

"Of course," Miss Io grinned, "you'll have to make it up at the end of the school year."

Everyone paused and frowned with anger.

Miss Io laughed. "Alright. Get your homework out and we'll begin discussing on today's lesson."

Kairi raised her hand up.

"Miss Io, can I go to the bathroom?"

"Sure, hon."

~*~

_Poor Sora… I hope he gets better…_

            Bangs of crimson bounced with volume as Kairi walked down the dark, shady hallways, noting the nasty smell coming from another classroom. She bit her lip with worry, reached in to her shirt, and pulled out her lucky charm. As he promised, Sora gave her back it when he returned to Destiny Islands with Riku. Since then, they'd become extremely close.

_Something's not right, _she frowned_, and he's acting too weird. Even for him!_

            Something immediately told Kairi to stop dead in her tracks and she did so. The sound of the air conditioner was echoing throughout the hallow hallways and made the entire place generally remind her of Hallow Bastion. She squeaked at the sound of footsteps.

"Who's there?" She asked sharply. "I know you're here, so show yourself."

_"Little bitch… you're trying to take him away from me…"_

Kairi narrowed her eyes at the remark and slowly began to take a step at a time down the hallway, holding up her defense.

"Who ever you are," she hissed in irritation, "you must be the bitch since you're hiding away like a coward."

_"You're just like the other girls … pretty, sophisticated, and a complete whore. Broads like you don't deserve Angels like him…"_

"Who are you and what are you talking about?"

The voice's laughter sounded like a guitar string being struck.

_"I guess you're not as sophisticated as I though… I love him, I fight for him, and I bleed for him… All you are is a Damsel in Distress, always counting on him to save you… He doesn't need you nor does anyone else."_

Kairi tensed at the last words of the mysterious person and screamed as she saw someone reveal them self. It was Emi, from her and Sora's math class.

"Oh, Emi!" Kairi placed a hand on her chest in relief. "I thought you were that creepy person with the voice."

Emi smiled, her dirty and buttery teeth looking as though she hadn't brushed it in years. Kairi cringed.

"Kairi!"

            Kairi swung around to see Mercedes standing at the end of the hallway, her eyes widen with fear. Eyebrows rising, Kairi glanced around only to meet a thick butcher knife. It plunged in to her chest, sending her warm blood to the floor, the lockers, and the walls. Kairi hit the floor; eyes widen and face pale as death.

"Emi…?" She breathed helplessly.

Mercedes backed in to a nearby wall, her face tear-stained and eyes showing panic.

"Kairi!"

            Emi looked over Kairi and smirked. Raising the blade up, the girl continuously stabbed Kairi, over and over again. Kairi couldn't do anything but watch vulnerably as the knife began to take her life. A shrill scream finally escaped her lips, rumbling throughout the entire school.

_"Sora…!"_

~*~

            Sora's heart suddenly ached with depression as he shot up from his seat, startling the entire class. Miss Io looked up from her magazine and stared at him with a slight worried face.

"Sora," she walked from her desk and to him. "You okay, baby?"

"I-" Sora began but stopped at the classroom door swing open.

It was Riku.

Sora frowned at what he saw. Riku looked pale and sad, as though he was going to cry.

"Sora," he managed to say with his suave voice. "Kairi-she's…"

Sora wasted no time listening to his friend as he ran out of the classroom, leaving his teacher and the rest of his classmates to follow.

_"Your friends are pushing you and shaping you in to what they want you to be."_

            A horrible odor reached Sora's nostrils, but he shook it off and continued down the long hallway, noticing the whiter looking students as he went further down. He nearly hollered at what he saw and stepped in. Blood. It was everywhere. Sora tensed as he continued the run down till he felt strong arms wrap around his waist. Looking up, he saw Riku.

_"Leave them, my love, and come with me."_

"Sora, don't!"

Sora frowned, trying to push Riku off him. He didn't understand.

"Let me go, Riku!" Sora growled. "I … Kairi … the blood on the ground…"

Riku's arms were strong and didn't seem to be loosing anytime sooner.

"Coward!"

Riku said nothing, his pretty eyes showing stress.

"You have to listen to me," Riku whispered softly. "It's about Kairi."

"What happened?" Sora finally felt Riku's grasp loosen. "Did she get in a fight?"

"No."

"Did she get caught in the middle of a fight?"

"No."

"Riku! What happened to Kairi?"

Riku's normally tan face ashen and saddens.

"Sora, I'm sorry." Riku breathed. "Kairi's dead."

A sudden cold shockwave went through Sora's body.

"You're lying," Sora said with skepticism. "You're lying!"

Sora dashed toward the crowd, Riku raising a hand out for him.

            Sora shoved aside several people as they were yelling to him to not continue, that it was too nasty, too disgusting, and too malicious to see. But he didn't care and finally broke through the crowd only to collapse to his knees.

"Kairi, no…"

There she lay. The girl of his dreams. Dead.

            Kairi's face was so white that it looked as though she never had color in her face, in her lips, nor in her cheeks. Blood was gushing from beneath her as something was stuck under her. It was a sheet of paper. Sora blindly crawled to his fallen friend's body and grasped the sheet. Opening it, he slowly began to read it.

_Dear Sora,_

_            Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Let Kairi live beneath us. Love was not within her heart as you can see, but we can be much better off without she. She who kept us apart from finding true lover's way and never will she see the light of day._

_Please don't hate me for she never loved you. She shouldn't have kissed you. I warned her. Heh._

_Forget her and the memories you held within your beautiful heart and cast aside the feeling of the dark. You still have Riku and those other kids. Hold on to them because if they hurt your feelings, you won't have to worry about the feeling anymore._

_Till we meet under the blood moon,_

_Anonymous_

            Weeping softly, Sora glanced back at a very sad Riku. One of his friends was gone and he couldn't bear to lose another.


	4. Entry IV: Red

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**Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:**            Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers:            I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n:      **Thanks for the reviews… Heh, I like this site.

**Juzlovnsora:**            I love your fics. Before I got talked into signing up on this site, I've read a bunch of fics, and I must say, yours is really good. Oh, and don't worry about Kairi. Who said it was the end for my favorite girl character on KH.

**ZTX:     **I love your story 'sighted'. Lol. I'm obsessed with KH and can't stop thinking about the secret trailer from Final Mix.

**Mizutaka:**            Thanks for the compliments. I was scared that I couldn't get Sora, let alone Riku, right. The part about school happens to my school all the time. Teachers…^__^

**TurquoisePhoenix:      **The car? I know what you mean. I was originally going to name Mercedes Nani, but then I remember Lilo and Stitch, so I scratched the name out.

**Ramen-Sama and Mori-San:**            Thanks for the compliment and hope you like the story.

**Mwhaha:            **(Laughs at name) Thanks for the review and I intended to make her loco. The idea of Kairi dying in a key point in the story, so think about that. Kairi's not gone, I assure you that.

 I hate to say it, but there's no killing in this one. Just a bunch of Riku skeptic and such but, could our silver haired cutie be the next victim? 

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_"Sora, run!"_

_"I-I can't! Riku!"_

_"Don't give up… Never give up!"_

_            The insomniac smells of the sewer-smelling waters rusted beneath them as they ran, splashing the nasty water against the smoke gray stones. The footsteps wouldn't stop, the soft whispers wouldn't leave them, and the hideous crackling of death wouldn't let them go._

_"Be strong, Sora!" Said a fifteen-year-old boy. "You have to… for Kairi and Tidus and Wakka!"_

_"Riku…"_

_            As they began to see speckles of light, a sharp cry echoed throughout the tunnels. The fifteen-year-old boy collapsed and gripped his left arm, a rush of blood appearing in his silky white shirt. His fourteen-year-old buddy cried as his bangs covered his sapphire eyes. They burned with fear, with sorrow, and with …compassion._

_"Riku!"_

_"Sora, go! Leave me!"_

_            Heavy footsteps rumbled behind as Sora grabbed Riku by his right arm and pulled him toward the light. The big, hallow circle revealed freedom from the darkness and from her… Riku began breathing hard as he collapsed once more, pushing Sora through the hole. As soon as Sora went through it, metal bars connected from out of nowhere, preventing Riku from escape. Sora quickly pulled himself up, walked to the bars, and gripped them as Riku stood, still holding his arm._

_"Riku…no! W-we have to do something! You can't die on me like Kairi!"_

_Riku smiled at him, just as he did when he doors were closing on him in the doors of Kingdom Hearts._

_"It's okay, Sora…" Riku sighed and closed his eyes. "I knew this was going to happen…"_

_"What…?" Sora stared in confusion. "Riku, what are you talking about?"_

_"I saw her. I saw her and she told me not to let you die or suffer… I knew that I would die…"_

_Sora stared confused and frowned as Riku laughed handsomely._

_"I knew it would happen… You have to be strong, just like you were when Ansem was here. Take that path you had as the Keyblade master and hold on to your courage tightly."_

_"Riku…you can't…" Sora leaned closer to Riku. "You just can't…you're my only friend now."_

_Riku simply stared until a wet thud caused him to fall towards Sora, Sora holding out his arms._

_"Riku!"_

_Riku smirked one last time at Sora, losing the coolness in his aquamarine eyes._

_"Take care…Sora…"_

~*~

            Chimes of heavenly bells began to ring softly as two sapphire irises snapped open, beads of heavy sweat running gently down a young boy's face. Sora took in deep breaths as he stared at the red carpet of the church. He was at the funeral.

"We are here today, to share the moments, the memories, and the treasures that we lost from this beautiful girl. She came here as though she was a gift from the skies and now our gift has finally found herself resting in peace. Let us pray for this child, our light, and our beloved Kairi…"

            Sora pressed his lips together and glanced around. His mother was weeping softly on to his father's arm, while he simply shook his head in grief. Sora placed a hand to his chest, feeling complete and utter pain and glanced toward the other side of the church.

_"Be strong, Sora."_

            Riku sat with his mother, the coolness no longer in his eyes. They were deeply sat on a girl, who he risked everything for mere months ago. He joined the dark side, willing to sacrifice anybody in order to save her. Everyone obviously knew Riku had a crush on Kairi, but to what extent even he probably didn't know. The preachers and such had cleaned Kairi's body after the entire incident. The mayor had lost the perkiness he usually held and now, all he held was sorrow.

            Sora gripped his head. She was actually gone. Kairi… He'd been through heck and back for her. The kiss she gave him when he returned, the paopu fruit they finally shared within the Secret Place, and even the dates they had repeated in his head, as though it was a payment.

_It's my entire fault… Kairi, I'm so sorry…_

            Sora stood up, surprising the entire church. His lips trembled, his face was pale, and he couldn't help but to quickly run toward the nearest exit. The Preacher quickly spoke, softening his voice as though he was trying to sooth Sora.

"It's okay, son." The Preacher began to walk towards him. "Sora, it's okay."

"No, it isn't."

Sora faced all, his eyes welling up in to tears.

"It's my fault Kairi's dead. If I had just… stayed away from her, then she wouldn't have got her."

Sora's mother looked at him.

"Sora," she reached out only to see Sora dash out the church.

            He had to get away. He had to get away from his home, his family, the people, his friends, the church, and … himself. Pacing, Sora shivered and glanced around. His eyes finally settled on an opening. The hole was bigger than him and looked as though it was connecting towards a building.

_"Sora…let us go…"_

Glancing around, Sora soon felt his vision grow weak as he fell to the ground. Soft giggles rushed to his head, erupting more and more pain. A dark, slender figure made its way to Sora and flicked its hair.

"Sora, I win."

Sora's eyes twitched as the darkness faded in.

"I know that voice…you're…."

~*~

            Riku exited the church, the wind blowing through his platinum bangs. Sora's outburst caused a lot of worry. Sora's mother looked as though she was going to have a nervous breakdown. Walking around, Riku's gaze came upon an opening or a hole…? It was connecting to a building that looked as though it hadn't been used in years. Someone very familiar was walking in to the hole.

Riku narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, Sora!"

Riku took a few steps, then stopped when he noticed someone carrying Sora in to the opening.

"What the-"

A hand clamped on Riku's shoulders, causing him to swing his arm. The person fell to the ground.

"Ow! You meanie…! How dare you!"

It was Mercedes.

Riku stared down at her.

"What are you doing here?"

She blinked innocently.

"I was worried about you and about Sora. He ran out the church really fast."

Riku shook his head and turned back to the opening.

"Someone's got Sora," he mumbled softly. "I think it's his admirer."

Mercedes eyes stared straight in to Riku's.

"W-what? Are you serious? The one who…"

Mercedes paused and covered her face, just as she did on that horrible day, at that horrible sight.

"It's just like before…" She glanced at Riku, eyes misting. "You don't think she'll hurt Sora, do you?"

Riku stared at Mercedes and shrugged. "Can't be too sure now, can we?"

"I-I guess you're right," Mercedes brushed back her hair with her hand. "I guess…"

            The two nodded and began to walk toward the opening. Riku eyes suddenly anchored in to widen of curiosity as he stopped and turned to Mercedes. She looked at him questionably as he shoved her toward the opening.

"You go ahead," Riku crossed his arms. "I'll catch up later…"

"Are you insane!?" Mercedes placed a hand on her hip. "Do you really expect me to go in there alone…?" Well…"

Riku shrugged.

"I thought you said you weren't a coward. Besides, Sora really needs our help and I got a feeling that the one who took Sora isn't who we think it is…"

Mercedes gave him a exasperating look.

Riku rolled his eyes.

"In other words," he began, "I think the one who's causing all this isn't Emi."

"What?" Mercedes frowned. "I-I saw her! She stabbed Kairi. Riku!"

"It's crazy, but still… I've got this feeling inside me, like I know who's doing this, but I can't prove it right now. Mercedes, something bad is going to happen to me and to you and we don't have much time."

Mercedes stiffen with fear.

"Riku, what are you saying?"

"She's coming," Riku slowly removed his black tuxedo coat and tossed it to the side.

Aquamarine eyes stared deep in to ebony ones.

"She's coming, Mercedes, and I'll be next…"


	5. Entry V: Red

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:**            Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers:            I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n:      **Sorry! I haven't updated for a while because of school… Anyway, this story is slowly drawing towards its close (Yeah, I know it's really short. But that's what I planned.) and I'll be working on a new story. Anyway, here's the next chapter…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Tidus let the wind blow through his golden locks, an unpleasant look upon his childish face. The clouds were seemingly getting darker, which made absolutely no sense since the sky was as clear and blue as on a spring day. Making his way away from the church, Tidus bit his lip in curiosity.

_Man, I feel sorry for Sora… But I wonder why Riku and Mercedes left in a storm…_

"Yo, Tidus!"

The voice was obvious to Tidus since it had an accent within it.

"Hey! I told you not to follow me!" Tidus urged with a frown as he looked at the fifteen year old before him.

"Do ya really think I would listen to ya?" Wakka leaned down, trying to catch his breath.

"Well…I don't know! Argh! Selphie's always pushing us around! Making us come out here to search for Sora, Riku, and Mercedes."

"Yeah, who does she think she is!" Wakka snapped aloud.

"Hey, I thought she was coming with us?"

Wakka shrugged in reply.

"Did ya really think she would come? She told me she wanted to comfort Kairi's parents."

Tidus pulled his hair in annoyance.

"Aw, this stinks!"

Wakka nodded and glanced around, catching glimpse of something silvery near a tunnel like opening.

"Hey…isn't that Riku?"

Tidus stopped whining at the mention of Riku and glanced at Wakka and then at where he was staring.

"I think so. He's the only person I know with silver hair."

"What's he doing?"

"Who do you think I am? A guru?" Tidus sarcastically replied.

"What are you two doing?"

            The boys both jumped at the anger, yet soft voice and turned around to see…Jenna! She stood there, wearing a white sleeveless dress that went to her thighs. Tidus tilted his head then blushed at her angry look. Wakka scratched his head.

"Where did you come from?"

"The church of course," Jenna remarked snobbishly. "Where's Sora? I'm worried about him."

"How am I supposed to know that?" Tidus sniffed. "Selphie kicked us out of the church to find him."

Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Hmph, figures…"

Tidus shot a glare at her, and then frowned.

"Hey, what are you doing out here? Just because you like Sora, doesn't mean you have to chase after him… I bet you're glad Kairi's gone and out of your way."

"What? Me?" Jenna laughed bitterly. "I may have not liked Kairi, but I would never go as low as to like that she's dead. It could've been me who got stabbed, but Emi didn't choose to kill me, now did she?"

Tidus' blue eyes lit in total confusion.

"Hey, how'd you know Emi did it? It wasn't said in the newspaper or in the church that she did it."

Jenna stared nervously, then shrugged.

"Well…Mercedes told me what she saw and---"

"What? Mercedes was there?" Wakka interrupted and stared at a blank Jenna.

"Sora didn't say she was there and neither did Riku…"

Jenna swallowed hard.

"Well, Mercedes told me what happen and said she never saw anything more dramatic…"

"That still doesn't explain why Mercedes was there…" Tidus frowned and began to think.

"This is confusing, ya?" Wakka sighed and glanced at where Riku could be seen.

"Tidus, let's go where Riku is. I bet'cha he knows something we don't know."

Tidus nodded in agreement and glanced at Jenna.

"You're coming, too."

~*~

            Riku stared at Mercedes, who was trembling from head to toe. It was almost utter silence with the only sound of movement coming from Riku. Crossing his arms, Riku looked down at the ground and paused for a moment. He then looked back up at Mercedes.

"Now, things are starting to make sense to me…"

Mercedes' eyes stared at Riku's face.

"What do you mean? We have no clues."

Riku smirked.

"Yes, we do. The person who killed Kairi had to be apart of Sora's math class. Remember, Kairi has the same class as Sora."

"So, it was Emi…"

"Yeah, Emi's the one who killed Kairi, but I feel as something else is behind this…"

A tiny frown appeared on Mercedes' lips.

"What do you mean, Riku?"

Riku sighed in annoyance and paced forward.

"It's strange, but hear me out on this…"

Suddenly, Riku stopped and looked toward the sky.

"Emi is known as a quiet girl, one who is the wallflower at the dances, the one who is shy and bashful towards people she doesn't know, and the one who could probably let her emotions take over her. But if there's something I do know, that is that she's not the only one in Sora's Math Class."

Aquamarine eyes lay upon ebony ones.

"Jenna was in that class, too. You're in it as well. Mercedes, there are only five girls in that classroom. You, Jenna, Kairi, Emi, and Selphie."

"So…?"

"I don't think Emi's behind the note, but I do believe that she killed Kairi."

"So close to the truth…"

            Riku narrowed his eyes as Mercedes gasped. Standing before them was Emi. In her hands was a rifle. Mercedes stood shaking, hands gripping hold of her dark locks, and eyes on the verge of tears. She shook her head constantly as Riku remained as calm and collective as he could. The tension was growing; building up to its maximum.

"Emi," Riku whispered softly, "You didn't write the note, did you?"

Emi smiled giddy-like and shook her head.

"Nope. It wasn't me. I hate expressing myself on paper. I rather show Sora that I love him."

_Obsessive freak…_

"Emi, don't do this…"

Emi laughed at Riku's plea and aimed the gun at him.

"Shut up, Riku. I don't want to kill you… Atleast, not now."

She glanced at Mercedes.

"But Mercedes is another story…"

Mercedes sobbed as she glanced at Riku with pleading eyes.

"Riku…Riku, I don't want to die…"

Riku's eyes were now trembling with fear as he swallowed.

"Don't do it," he harnessed enough strength to say. "Please, Emi…"

"Please," Mercedes moaned, "please."

"She's just like Kairi," Emi sighed as she aimed the rifle at Mercedes. "And she'll join Kairi…"

            Without any warning, a loud shot was released and Riku dropped to the ground, covering his ears. There was no scream, no shout, and no merciless laugher. The only sound that he could hear was the sound of Mercedes' body hitting the ground. Riku snapped open his eyes and crawled to Mercedes' body. She had been shot in the head.

"Mercedes…" Riku stared in disbelief. "This is…crazy…"

His eyes shot toward Emi, who reloaded the rifle with a gingerly smile on her face.

"How could you?" His voice was shaky. "I thought you were better than that, Emi. All this just so you can have Sora all to yourself."

"I love him…"

Emi pointed the rifle at Riku, who stood up.

_I won't die..._

Riku looked down at the ground, noticing clusters of ruddy dirt. He eyed the dirt and then Emi.

_Not until I know Sora's safe…_

Sliding his foot across the dirt, Riku kicked it into Emi's face and made an forward rush to the opening. His footsteps were clanky and could be heard easily as Emi screamed his name out.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, RIKU!!!!"

~*~

Sapphire eyes peered open as Sora awoke, a tiring feeling emerging within his heart and body. It was dark and shadowy and he could feel softness underneath him. He nearly screamed at what was underneath him. Teddy bears. Thousands of red, valentine teddy bears were beneath him. His eyes began to adjust to the light and when they did, his heart skipped a beat at what he saw. Posters. Pictures. Items. Millions of pictures surround the gothic-like room. What creeped him out was that all those pictures were of him. From when he was a baby to even when he was fighting the heartless. They all were there.__

_What the heck…?_

            Sora placed a hand on his chest and felt something metal-like there. Looking down, his eyes couldn't believe what he saw. It was a chain necklace with a mouse crest on it. Sora looked at it with disbelief.

"I haven't seen this since I was seven years old…"

"Sora!"

            At the mention of his name, Sora looked up and his face paled at what he saw.


	6. Entry VI: Red

**

* * *

Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:** Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.****

**Disclaimers: I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

**A/n: **Sorry for the wait. I had writer's block and then I wondered if I should finish my Riku story. This story is coming along nicer than I thought it would be. Thanks for the reviews and I really hope you enjoy this chapter... OH, by the way, since school's out, I plan on making a story called Blue and it'll star Riku.

* * *

_"Sora!"_

Sora gaped as he took breaths and grasped the memento tightly. Crimson bangs splashed upon a gentle, angelic face as laughter and sadness appeared in baby blue eyes, baby blue eyes felt was not possible to be staring in to his on…

"Kairi…" He went breathless. The world heaved on him as a pale hand began to reach for him.

"Sora, run! Run!"

Sora snapped out of his reverie to see strands of silver flicker across his eyes and thus, he was tossed off bed of teddies and on to the disgusting floors. Heaviness plundered him in to the darkness where speckles of light and blossoms of flowers surrounding him in a world of beauty and hallucination.

"Sora…"

Sora blinked once, twice, and yet unsurprising again. He lay in a bed of flowers, each smelling more glorious than the next. And beside him laid Kairi. She turned to face him as he did so to her and they were both inches away from one another. Kairi smiled and giggled slightly, noting the now cherry red Sora and brushed her hand across his brunet bangs.

"Sora, I'm so sorry…"

Sora's confused look causes Kairi to giggle even more.

"Kairi, I don't understand…" He cupped her face with his hands. "If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I-I should've known that something was going to happen to you. I should've told you about my _Secret Admirer_."

Kairi softly placed her finger on Sora's cherry lips and nodded.

"Sora, it wasn't your fault that I died, but now, you hold the cards to this game. Sora, someone's going to die soon… We've been able to sense it."

"We? Is this…is this heaven?"

Kairi smiled.

"You bum! I can't tell you that…" Her smile soon faded. "Riku… Sora, you can't let her kill Riku! You just can't let Riku die! Not after the entire heck you two went through. You have to kill her."

"What? Kill Emi…?"

"No, you have to kill her…"

_Who!? Who am I supposed to kill!!!?_

"Kairi! Who is the killer?"

"I'm sorry, Sora. I have to go…"

_Oh, so it's gonna be like that, huh?_

"Kairi, no!" Sora grasped her arm tightly and shook his head rapidly.

"You can't leave me again. Please!"

Kairi grinned sadly and pressed her lips on to Sora. Sora felt warmth engulf him as he closed his eyes and started to kiss her back. The world slowly shattered from beauty and entered horror.

_"Sora!"_

_"Dammit, Sora! Let go me!"_

Sora opened his eyes to meet aquamarine eyes. The warmth was still there though. Why? Sora's face turned redder than blood as he felt strong hands usher him off and to the sticky ground. Sora giddily and embarrassed laughed as he watched Riku spit and cough and shoot weird and malicious glares at him.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Riku cursed as he wiped his lips off. "Kissing me like that!"

Sora gave his famous cheesy smile.

"I thought you were Kairi… Honest, Riku!"

"Whatever," Riku hissed as he stood up. "Glad I found you, anyway."

"Yeah, me too!" Sora stood as well. "Riku, Emi's really crazy!"

"Oh, so you notice, huh?" Riku eyed him obviously. "She just killed off Mercedes!"

"No…" Sora nodded and looked down at the floor. "Mercedes is gone too?"

"Yeah," Riku whispered softly. "I almost joined her…"

"And you will…"

Riku cursed under his breath as he and Sora slowly turned around to see Emi with her shotgun ready. Sora frowned as he walked forward and blocked his best friend from his admirer.

"Darling, get out of the way…"

She had completely lost it.

"No, Emi! Stop this! You've killed enough of my friends as it is…"

"They don't deserve your friendship… They don't deserve you…!"

"You act like he's the coolest toy out on the market to date…"

Emi glared at Riku and then turned her eyes to Sora and smiled hard.

Sora forced himself to calm down and not pull out the Keyblade, like he should've done before letting Emi have her way.

"We'll be having some company in a few minutes…"

Riku frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Emi simply laughed, her laughter growing more and more insane.

"Sora!! Riku!!"

Sora and Riku jumped at their callers. Tidus and Wakka quickly rushed to their friends' sides only to grow weak heart at the sight of a maniac Emi and her pet shotgun. Jenna walked in and simply crossed her arms and glanced at Riku.

"I see you had you're way," she softly spoke and walked to Emi. "But I thought Riku was going to die along side the traitor?"

Riku scowled as Emi chuckled.

"He ran off like a coward. He couldn't even face me."

"Yeah, right." Riku breathed. "Fighting someone with a gun isn't exactly what I'd call fair, especially when the gunner is a psycho. And you, Jenna, was apart of it too, weren't you?"

"What?" Sora, Tidus, and Wakka exclaimed and stared at Jenna.

"Oh, so you know," Jenna smiled as she pointed at Riku and signaled to Emi. "I really had a crush on you, Riku. You were the coolest boy in school. All the girls of Paradise High wanted to go out with you, but you're heart was still longing for someone you could never have…"

Sora stared at Riku sadly.

_I guess Riku still liked Kairi too… Riku…_

"Too bad for the island's hottie. But my eyes weren't set on you all the time," Jenna gazed in to Sora's ocean blue eyes.

"I always liked you, Sora. You were always funny, innocent, and so cute! It was so amazing with you and the heartless deal and then, you came back and became some sort of a hero. Kairi didn't deserve you!" Jenna clenched her fists. "I hated her. She always thought she was better than me and any other girl on the island. So what if her life seemed like a magical fairy tale? So what if she came to the island by a mysterious way? So what! She was ugly bitch and I hated her laugh, her voice, her body, and especially smile. Damn her and damn this island. All I want is you…"

"You're a crazy little bitch," Riku barked. "I thought you were the jealous type, but who figures. But what does Emi have to do with this?"

"Emi?" Jenna glanced at Emi and laughed. "Emi is my best friend. We both liked Sora so much that we plotted a way to get to him and steal his cute lil heart away. But you got in the way, Riku, and so did you two blockheads!"

Tidus stuck his middle finger up and waved it.

"Go to hell…"

"No thanks. I'm already hot, you know." Jenna grinned. "Kill them all except for Sora. We do need him."

Two gunshots were released and planted in to Tidus chest and Wakka's head. Tidus fell to the ground, squirming in pain whereas Wakka died instantly from the shot.

"Tidus! Wakka!" Sora began but felt Riku wrapped his arms around his waist. Sora reached out, pulling on air, as Emi struggled to aim at Riku.

A gunshot was fired and Emi fell to ground, hitting it hard. Jenna screamed and took massive steps back.

Riku looked up and paled for the first time.

"Mercedes!"

Mercedes stood over Emi's body, her shoulders bare and the only clothing covering her body was a small black cloak. Her arms had blood all over them and her legs had the oddest cuts and bruises on them.

"Mercedes," Sora whispered in utter confusion. "You're-you're alive?!"

Bright white teeth were revealed in an extent that crossed over insanity. Riku frowned and began pulling Sora back.

"Sora, we have to get out of here now."

"What? But Tidus! Wakka! Mercedes!"

"Wakka's gone, Sora."

Riku and Sora quickly rushed to Tidus' falling body. The cheerful boy managed to pull off a generous smile.

"Sora, go. Do as Riku says. We all can't die…here—"

"Tidus!"

Riku shut his eyes in pain. "Come on, Sora. Let's go."

Sora cupped his face for a moment, glanced at Riku with tearing eyes and smirked in a nod.

_"Sora…"_

Sora stopped from running and glanced back at a beautiful Mercedes. She smiled tangibly.

"Mercedes, I—"

"Sora stop!"

Riku grabbed the younger boy and shook his hard.

"Sora, listen to me. That's not Mercedes. Atleast, not the same girl I saw earlier…"

"But she's standing over there…"

"No, Sora! Don't you get it…? It was all a cover-up. She was never on our side to begin with…"

"No, it's not true!"

"Yes, it is…! You might as well say she killed Kairi. The notes that were written are probably hers."

"Mercedes…"

"Sister, please don't!"

Riku and Sora glanced over to see the unimaginable. Orbs of blackness began to stab Jenna rapidly, smothering her in complete darkness. Sora frowned. Mercedes began laughing as Jenna dropped to the ground, looking down at her hands as blood slide across them. She then looked up, a trickle coming down from her head. Emi's shotgun slowly floated across the room and fell in to Mercedes' hands. Jenna shook her head in muffled sobs and croaks.

"Please don't," Jenna whispered. "We're sisters... Please!"

Sora's eyes flashed.

_They liked my sister way better than me and it wasn't fair._

_"Dearest sister, I love you..." _Mercedes voice stressed out the last three words in grimness.__

Sora watched as Jenna continued to plead and beg, but Riku simply shook his head, obviously knowing what Mercedes was going to do. He began to pull Sora back, Sora struggling with all his might, but Riku remained the strongest amongst the both of them and he knew that. A loud cry and a wet thud made Sora shudder as Riku began to run.

"Come on," Riku screamed to the wide-eyed boy. "We got to go get help."

Mercedes grinned as a cool breeze ran through her body and she began to walk, the darkness growing behind her and the feeling of victory rising to its zenith. Her hands shook and an odd idea popped in her head.

_"If Riku won't let me have Sora, I'll just have to have him too...."_

__

* * *


	7. Entry VII: Red Real Ending

**

* * *

Red**

**By:** Angelsoft

**Setting:** Sora's got a secret admirer and she's messing up his life. She's left notes written in her own blood, items he hasn't seen for years, and disturbing photographs of his friends. And with each day he refuses to be with her, one of his friends die.

****

**Disclaimers: I do not and will not ever own cute lil' Sora or his buds. Disney and Square Enix do. I do own some characters in this ficcy, though.**

****

**A/n: **Thanks for the reviews and Doomboy2000, I've definitely got to read Battle Royale. If Emi is like someone in that book, it'll definitely push me off the boredom couch. Oh, and if any of you remember that certain dream Sora had, you'd better prepare yourself for a shock. Should Riku die? Personally, I admire him (mainly his voice and hair), but sometimes a story needs a little push, especially since this is the official ending to the story. Yep, this story is finish unless I think of an alternate ending... I keep crossing over on Riku's eyes and Sora's as well... I'll just keep them sapphire and turquoise... OH, and be sure to read. (Sighs) Enjoy!

* * *

_"Sora, run!"_

_"I-I can't! Riku!"_

_"Don't give up… Never give up!"_

Sapphire irises flickered as haunting vibrations clustered up in to a painful knot in his heart. Sora swallowed hard and never took his eyes off Riku, never taking his eyes off beautiful silver hair, his rich, tan skin, and his handsome face. Turquoise eyes bore in to Sora's eyes as Riku grabbed Sora's arm and led him down another path. Where did they all come from repeated in his mind, flashes of Mercedes laughing entering his mind. Insomniac smells of the sewer water stung their nostrils and Sora paled, figment memories playing back and forth in his head.

_"Be strong, Sora!" Said a fifteen-year-old boy. "You have to… for Kairi and Tidus and Wakka!"_

_"Riku…"_

_As they began to see speckles of light, a sharp cry echoed throughout the tunnels. The fifteen-year-old boy collapsed and gripped his left arm, a rush of blood appearing in his silky white shirt. His fourteen-year-old buddy cried as his bangs covered his sapphire eyes. They burned with fear, with sorrow, and with …compassion._

_"Riku!"_

_"Sora, go! Leave me!"_

Sora frowned and glanced at Riku as they stopped for a break. Riku's stare was only focused on the background, a confident look upon his face. Confidence. That was what Riku was definitely known for by all of their _friends_. _Friends_ that died because of a silly little schoolgirl crush. _Friends_ that would never share or hold on to new experiences. _Friends_ that now were in the paradise of paradises, the heaven of healing, and the sanctuary of light. Sora forced his tears not to come up and he looked at Riku to catch him staring at him.

"It'll be okay, Sora." Riku's voice sounded calmer than usual. "You'll live."

"Ofcourse, I'll live!" Sora gritted his teeth and balled his fists up. "It's you I'm worried about..."

Riku's eyes soften and playful smirk was placed upon those handsome lips.

"Relax, Sora," he sighed and crossed his arms. "You won't have to worry much longer..."

Sora's sapphire eyes glistened and he stared at Riku, a small pout appearing on his face.

"The dream..."

"What?" Riku's confused look didn't snap Sora out of his thought.

"The dream..." Sora repeated. "The dream about ... us running..."

_Was it a dream...or a premonition?_

Sora took this time to gape at their surroundings. Insomniac-smelling sewer waters, tunnels, and cracks of light spreading out from one particular. Something hit Sora harder than anything physical as he began to add it all up. The dream with Kairi replayed in his mind, her particular quotes fussing up in his head just like Mercedes notes.

_"Sora, it wasn't your fault that I died, but now, you hold the cards to this game. Sora, someone's going to die soon… We've been able to sense it."_

_Who is 'We'?_

_"Riku… Sora, you can't let her kill Riku! You just can't let Riku die! Not after the entire heck you two went through. You have to kill her."_

_"What? Kill Emi?"_

_"No, have to kill her..."_

Sora fumed as he kicked the water. Riku made his way to Sora.

"Sora, what's wrong now?"

"What the hell was Kairi talking about?" Sora blinked at Riku's sheepish grin. "What? What!"

Riku shook his head and pointed toward where the light was.

"Let's go that way... It looks like that's the way out..."

"No, wait Riku!" Sora urged and began to think once again. His eyes widen.

_Wait a minute! The way we went was dark and then we saw light... That was the right way out, but if I'm correct, Mercedes was chasing us... So that means we're going to encounter her again... But, what if we took a different way...? Would we both be alive that way?_

Sora looked at the tunnels before them. One produced light, one had total darkness, and the other was strange. It had sewer water coming out the wrong way...

_Okay, now I'm confused... The tunnel in the dream had water in it, but also darkness... So, is the tunnel that has darkness in it have sewer water at the end or is the one with the sewer water coming out of it the one from the dream? Man, I hate thinking!_

Sora blinked and crossed his arms in exasperation.

"Riku, which one do you think we should go through?"

Riku shrugged nonchalantly.

"I don't know... The one with the light seems the best option though."

_But what if that's the one from the dream? Riku will die if we go through it...unless, I can prevent it. Maybe I should choose a tunnel._

Sora glanced at the three, closed his eyes, and randomly pointed out.

"Which one did I get?"

"The one that's completely dark."

Sora frowned. _I was afraid of that._

Riku began to walk towards it, but felt Sora's hand being placed roughly on his shoulder.

"What is it now?" Riku sounded beyond annoyed.

"Riku, let's go through the one you wanted to go through."

"Why?" Riku glanced at Sora. "Sora, why would you waste time trying to pick out a tunnel that you wouldn't go through?"

"I have this bad feeling in my heart," Sora said softly. "Riku, something bad is going to happen to you if we step through any of those tunnels. I just know it!"

"Sora..."

_La la le la... La la le la..._

The two boys paled and looked toward the way the came from. Black aura began to seep towards them slowly and the singing wouldn't end.

"Mercedes!" The two shouted in perfect unison.

_La la le la... La la le la... Sora... Riku... Wait for me!_

Sora gasped as Riku dragged in toward the tunnel with water coming out of it. Sora repeatedly screamed "No!" as Riku forced him in to the tunnel and the two sprinted down it.

"Sora, run!"

"I-I can't! Riku!"

"Don't give up… Never give up!"__

The insomniac smells of the sewer-smelling waters rusted beneath them as they ran, splashing the nasty water against the smoke gray stones. The footsteps wouldn't stop, the soft whispers wouldn't leave them, and the hideous crackling of death wouldn't let _them go._ Sora stopped instantly causing Riku to holler at him more and more.

"What the hell are you thinking?" He cried out with a frown. "Sora, you're going to die if you stay right there."

"It's just like the _dream_..."

"Sora? Sora, snap out of it!"

Sora shook his head, turned around, and then held his hands out.

"I should've done this a long time ago," he whispered as Riku slowly began to step back.

"Sora, what are you doing?"

"Summoning up the Keyblade."

"What?"

"I'm going to do what Kairi told me to do..." The Oathkeeper appeared in his hand. "I'm going to kill Mercedes!"

The chanting slowly cease and as a lump of darkness began to build up, long, dark flowing hair pushed aside to reveal a ghastly Mercedes. She began to walk forward, but stop at the sight of the Oathkeeper and its heavenly light. She raised a hand to block out the light and glanced at a tear-eyed Sora, who got in to stance.

_"Sora, what are you doing...?" _Mercedes smiled softly. _"It's just me... Mercedes. I'm your friend."_

Sora shook his head.

"No," he whispered with a frown. "You're a sick, twisted bitch with a split personality! Kairi... Wakka... Tidus... Hell, even Jenna and Emi ... No one can play God and no one can take away Death... You, Mercedes, you're going to join Jenna and Emi in eternal Hell!!!"

_"I wanted to be with you!!!"_ Mercedes shouted as her eyes turned blood red and she began to go for the attack.

A small teardrop fell from Sora's sapphire eyes and he grimaced at the pain in his heart.

"No one can always get what they want..."

With that, Sora rolled out of the way of Mercedes attack, flipped on to her shoulders, and thrust the keyblade in to Mercedes chest. Rolling off her, he sat there and let the tears fall. Mercedes dropped to her knees, choking slightly and stared at Sora. She too was actually doing something Sora never saw her do since he met her: crying. Riku came to Sora's side and helped the boy up, but Sora never took his eyes off her as she reached out for him.

"No one can be Fate," Riku said hoarsely. "Not me, not Sora, and not you, Mercedes..."

_"Fate?" _Her enigmatic voice slowly began to lose life. _"Fate is what I thought...we were, Sora... I guess I was wrong..."_

Sora's wiped away his tears as the girl collasped to ground and closed her eyes. Dropping the keyblade, he placed an arm around Riku and faked a smile.

"Riku," he smirked. "Let's get out of here..."

Riku nodded, not saying another word.

The church began to slowly draw up its doors with all of the islanders heading out. Sora and Riku sat on its steps, eyes lowered as their parents waved to them that it was going to be okay. Selphie came out, slightly not herself, but still happy, and glanced at the two with her emerald green eyes.

"Hey guys," she grinned. "Where are those two coconut-headed monkeys? I thought I told them to come and find you?"

Sora looked away as Riku nodded.

"We'll tell you tomorrow, Selph. We... we need some time alone."

"Oh, I see. Well, see ya!"

With that, the yellow-clad chic quickly dashed off the join her parents.

"Riku," Sora began softly and emotionally, "what are we going to tell Wakka's and Tidus's parents? And Jenna's, Emi's, and... M-mer--"

"You don't have to say her name," Riku said coolly. "I'll think of something. It's going to be hard though. To get around here with most of our friends gone."

"Kairi..."

Riku stood up and turned to face Sora.

"But atleast there won't be anymore deaths. You'd probably go insane if someone died again."

"Riku!!"

"I'm serious," Riku smirked. "But there's something that's bothered me."

"Please," Sora stood up abruptly and brushed passes his friend. "I don't want to hear it, Riku."

"Aw, come on, Mr. Sensitivity," Riku mocked with a taunt-like grin. "It's just something that's been itching in my head."

"Go head and say it. It's not like I'm listening." Sora placed his hands behind his head and continued walking.

Riku followed.

"Okay, here's what I mean. Mercedes was shot when we were talking near that hole... Emi shot her, right? So, how the hell did she come back? I mean she got shot in the head, Sora. She did the same thing to Jenna and Emi..."

Sora stopped instantly and looked at Riku.

"Riku... did Mercedes ever stop moving after I stabbed her? You know, when she closed her eyes?"

"I don't know..."

It dung on them instantly.

"Oh shit!"

Sora and Riku dashed off towards the church and a loud scream was emitted from Sora. Riku stood there, baffled and stung at the same time. The church was on fire! The islanders were all gathered around something that was crimson. Sora pushed through the crown, blocking out Riku's shouts of "Don't!" When everyone was out of his way, Sora cringed in pain. His mother and father lay on the ground; multiple gunshot wounds and stabs were all over their body.

"No." Sora smiled in a lost of himself and sanity. "No, she--she didn't... She's dead. I killed her... No."

"Sora!" Riku came from the crowd and gasped the bloody mess that was once his best friend's parents. "Dammit, no!"

_"Fate has you, Riku..."_

Riku turned toward the church to see Mercedes stand in the flames, Emi's shotgun in her hands, and with one aim, she blasted a hole in to Riku's heart, sending the older boy hurdling toward the crowd. Sora turned towards Riku and cursed as he hurried to his fallen friend. Riku manage to look Sora in the eyes and smiled slightly.

"It's okay, Sora…" Riku sighed and closed his eyes. "It's going to be okay..."

Sora shook his head.

"Nooo!! You were supposed to die in the tunnel, not here, Riku!" Sora cried. "No, don't leave me!"

Riku cringed in pain and coughed softly.

"Sora, don't let her win..." His expression softens. "For both me and Kairi, live for us..."

"Riku..."

Riku smirked and stopped breathing.

"Riku!!"

Sora placed his friend on to the ground and turned towards Mercedes. Mercedes looked like a death goddess, the flames of red slowly turning a hellish black as the heated wind brushed her bare shoulders. She reached out to Sora from the steps, a gorgeous smile brings forth a new beginning to a darker end.

_"It's okay, Sora..." _She smiled as she noticed his smile back. _"We'll all be Hell's bitches..."_

"Yeah," Sora nodded in agreement as he cried. "We'll all go to Hell... together..."

Sora didn't even scream or holler as he walked up the flaming stairs, Mercedes smile widening, as he grew closer. He stumbled, feeling his skin peel off, and feeling bloody tears run down his pale cheeks. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled, the flames setting his hair on fire. Mercedes kissed him deeply and he brushed his lips across her neck as the people stared, wide-eyed and freaked out.

_"Daijoubu...Sora..." _Mercedes whispered softly. _"Aishiteru..."_

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**A/n: **That's the real ending for "Red". Yeah, I know... I killed Riku... and Sora's going to Hell… (Cries and sighs) But I did say I might write a different ending... Maybe I should write a story called Black and make it be about Sora, who's going to Hell, fighting versus Riku, who's in heaven with Kairi. Maybe make it be like Riku's trying to save Sora from the Devil and Mercedes… Oh, and for those who didn't know what Mercedes said at the end, here it is:

_"Daijoubu...Sora..."_ - "It's all right... Sora..."

_"Aishiteru..."_ - "I love you..."

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